Once a question was raised in Newsweek: Money or happiness, which one is more important?

How would we answer if we were asked the question?

Shakyamuni Buddha answered this question 2500 years ago. That is, happiness is the most important. Money alone cannot make people satisfied, nor can one obtain happiness and freedom from it. Nonetheless, most people still think that there can be no happiness without money. To them, money is the key to happiness.

Of course, other than barely a few exceptions, people who are destitute generally do not feel much happiness. But does it mean that wealthy people must be very happy? No, it certainly does not. Money really cannot buy everything!

~Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW - A Buddhist’s Mode of Life

The practice after meditation is to apply the right view and understanding which we realized during meditation to everyday life.

I hope everyone can put these methods to practice. This is our only opportunity and one which we must not miss. If we are not diligent in our practice in this lifetime, it is difficult to say when we will encounter the teachings again. Therefore, we must cherish these methods and this opportunity.

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - How to Face Suffering and Happiness-Taming the Mind as in Taming the Elephant

To establish a disciple-master relationship is a very important step for the initiates of Buddhist practice. Precious time will be wasted if you are led astray by improperly taking someone as a master. Life is short already. To encounter the Dharma within this short period of time is difficult; to encounter a truly qualified vajra master is more difficult; to be able to follow the vajra master and properly practice the Dharma afterwards is extremely difficult. As you can see, one may face mounting difficulties in the course of seeking the genuine Dharma. Nevertheless, if one wishes to learn the Buddhadharma, one had better learn the right teachings and take the right path.

~Depicted from GATEWAY TO VAJRAYANA PATH - Vajra Master and Empowerment

Sakyamuni Buddha expounded this principle two thousand years ago. Modern physics also acknowledges the continuous process of small particles arising and ceasing in a moment, in one thousandth of a second or even one ten-thousandth of a second. However, what the Buddha taught is more profound and explicit than modern physics, since the concept of an indivisible moment which is significantly smaller than one thousandth of a second or one ten-thousandth of a second is virtually inconceivable to us. The arising and ceasing that takes place in such a moment is so subtle we cannot begin to comprehend it.

~Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA - All Composite Phenomena are Impermanent

For ordinary people, the mind follows a natural pattern. This pattern always takes the same direction. To start with, material things can bring us a feeling of happiness. This feeling of happiness is based on a sense of satisfaction; in turn this sense of satisfaction comes from having a new or fresh experience. When we examine the feeling of happiness, we see that all things lose their luster once the novelty wears off. Being new and fresh is not a quality that can last forever; it is only a matter of time before it dissipates. When the new sensation disappears, the feeling of satisfaction loses its base and disappears with it. The feeling of happiness then disappears as well.

As human beings, we think material things are what we spend a lifetime pursuing; actually, we are only chasing after a feeling. The Buddha pointed to this important distinction, but we have yet to recognize or discover it.

~Depicted from ARE YOU READY FOR HAPPINESS - The Tibetan Buddhist View on Happiness

In other words, a Buddhist practitioner need not necessarily eat poorly and dress poorly, or think he or she must refrain from using the good things in life. This would also be a form of attachment. The main point is not to develop greed for these things.

The whole purpose of bringing this up is to say Buddhism is not pessimistic. Although the Buddha exhorted his followers to be content with few desires, it does not mean one must live a life of austerity. Most importantly, one should seek meaning in life through liberation, not through the pursuit of worldly pleasures.

~Depicted from THE FOUR SEALS OF DHARMA - The Practice of Suffering

Although we have not committed killing or stealing in this life and, being Buddhist practitioners, we often chant mantras, meditate and liberate animals, these virtuous actions are still the doings of defiled mortals. Once strong anger arises in our minds, all our virtuous karma so far accumulated will be destroyed instantly if the merit has not been dedicated. Besides, the roots of virtue of ordinary people are not stable— being good now does not mean staying good forever. If we were to have the powers of divination, we would be able to see all of our negative karma being stored in the alaya consciousness. Without repentance, the ensuing retributions will surely take place. Then it will exactly match the nihilists’ view, i.e., causality does not exist, such that one may lead a virtuous life but still drop to the lower realm after death. That would be a dangerous view for us Buddhists. Thus, we must repent all our negative karma as all of them can be purified through true penitence.

~Depicted from THE RIGHT VIEW - On Cause and Effect

 it is not enough to just have bodhicitta. What can we learn from a teacher of excellent character yet poor knowledge? By the same token, the master may be as kind and loving as the buddhas and bodhisattvas, but lack what we need the most, the wisdom for enlightenment. How can we attain any wisdom if the master has none? So, on the basis of having uncontrived bodhicitta, a Mahayana master must, to a certain extent, be adept in both the sutric and tantric teachings and in particular possess knowledge of the actual practice that we need. A person without bodhicitta and wisdom may be a glib talker and a smooth operator, but is actually more concerned with his or her personal benefit than that of others. Such a person will likely use us for personal gain. Any conflict that arises, if not handled well, can create a lot of problems. In this case, it is best not to follow such a person.

~Depicted from GATEWAY TO VAJRAYANA PATH - Vajra Master and Empowerment

In Pure Land, the most important sutra is The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha Sutra. This is a scripture that is translated into both Chinese and Tibetan from the same Sanskrit edition. The sutra states: “To take rebirth in Western Pure Land, one must stay clear of two kinds of transgression and possess four conditions.”

The two kinds of transgression are the five actions of immediate consequence and repudiation of the Dharma. Amitabha Buddha also said all sentient beings in the Saha world with absolute faith in him can be born in Western Pure Land, unless they have committed the five actions of immediate consequence and repudiated the Dharma. All other transgressions like taking life, stealing, etc., even actions that are more serious, can be purified through devotion and recitation of the buddha’s name. Only these two transgressions cannot be eradicated, so we must distant ourselves from them.

The four necessary conditions are to visualize Amitabha Buddha and Western Pure Land, accumulate vast merit, develop bodhicitta, and dedicate the aspiration of taking rebirth in Western Pure Land. All sentient beings who possess these conditions and recite the buddha’s name with total concentration can be born in Western Pure Land.

~Depicted from GATEWAY TO THE VAJRAYANA PATH - Sutra and Tantra: Similarities and Differences